Friday, February 20, 2015

An
advance medical directive is a legal document that indicates to medical
professionals who you have designated to make decisions on your behalf, once
you are no longer able to communicate your own preferences.

Chose
the person in your life who you feel would best be able to represent your
wishes. Equally important in obtaining
the written documentation is to verbally discuss your preferences and
philosophies with the person you are designating to make your future health
care decisions.

2.Obtain
a Financial Power of Attorney

A
financial power of attorney is a legal document that enables another individual
to make financial transactions on your behalf.
Some families choose to have the same person handle both the health care
and the financial powers of attorney, while others choose to designate
different individuals.

3.Sign
or Review Your Living Will

The
concept of a living will is to put your medical treatment preferences in
writing. In the United States, there are
different formats of this document with varying levels of detail.

It
is a misconception that a living will is only for people who want less
treatment. The living will document also
allows individuals to designate when they do want treatment.

Even
if you have living will already in place, it is helpful to review it. Research has shown that sometimes individuals
change their minds from their original choices they made at a younger age.

4.Create
or Review Your Existing Last Will and Testament

The
last will and testament is a legal document that designates what you want done
with your assets after you die. Even if
you do not feel you have money to pass on, everything you own is considered to
be an asset. Without a will, your assets
will be divided up based upon the laws where you live.

A
will also supports your loved ones by clearly designating who gets what. Without a will, if there are multiple loved
ones who have an interest in the same items, family tensions can rise.

5.Review
Your Health Insurance Policy

Many
health insurance policies have specific sections for issues related to terminal
illnesses. Not all procedures that are
ordered by a doctor are covered by insurance.
It is better to ask questions in advance regarding coverage rather than
accumulating medical debt that was unexpected.

Another
reason you will want to inform yourself of your benefits is so that you can
maximize the use of your coverage. You
may be covered for hospice care. Additionally,
mental health coverage, for example, may come in handy if you are having
difficulty coping with your prognosis and would like to receive counseling.

6.Organize
Your Electronic Files

Now is the time to organize
and document your financial, legal, and personal electronic life for your loved
ones. Keep a spreadsheet of your web
addresses, logins and passwords. Put the
spreadsheet where it can be easily found, or give it to a trusted loved one.

7.Organize
Important Papers

Everyone
has their own personal organizational system.
Try to compile, consolidate and label important financial, legal, and
personal items so that your loved ones will be able to find them.

8.Teach
Others Your Role

In
every household, each person has a role that they play within the
household. If you still share a
household with others and have a role within that household, it may be time to
pass the baton.

As
you receive treatment for your illness, you will may have
less energy to do task-related items.
Rather than continuing to try to do everything you used to do, spend the
time teaching your loved ones what only you know.

9.Choose
a Guardian

If
you are a single parent with minor children, you will want to designate who you
would prefer to raise your children.
This will save your loved ones time and money in dealing with the court
system to determine custody after you die.

10.Plan Your Funeral

This
may seem morbid, but one of the best favors you can do for your loved ones is
to tell them what you would want them to do for your funeral. Do you want to be buried or cremated, have
your body donated to science, or something else? While this is not any easy discussion to
start, it may provide a sense of comfort for your loved ones if you start the
conversation.

Without this conversation, loved ones are forced to
make funeral decision in the midst of their grief right after you die. The emotions of the situation could lead
them to spend more money than you would want.

Lizzy Miles, MA, MSW is a hospice social worker in Columbus, Ohio best known for bringing the Death Cafe concept to the United States. You can follow her on Twitter here.

Image credit: "PLAN AHEAd" by Christian Sinclair for Palilmed, may use with attribtuion

Pallimed: A Hospice & Palliative Medicine Blog Founded June 8, 2005.
This blog is a labor of love whose only mission is educational. Its content is strictly the work of its authors and has no affiliation with or support from any organization or institution, including the authors' employers. All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of its authors.
In addition, all opinions expressed on this blog are probably wrong, and should never be taken as medical advice in any form.